Let's take a little look at that for a few minutes. I see it in Babylon. It's getting up in the daytime. Old king had said, "Anybody that won't bow to that image, will be throwed in the fiery furnace that's het hotter than the Gospel Tabernacle in Chicago." All right. Said, "It'd be seven times hotter than it's ever been het, ever who won't bow to that image."

Well, these boys turned their back on it. "All right," he said, "I'm going to throw them in the fiery furnace." I can look down in Babylon that morning. Amen. I can look, and I can see the whole sky red. The king Nebuchadnezzar had hisself a seat setting out there, you know, as it was, his legs crossed. Said, "Bring out them holy-rollers. We'll burn that religion out of them."

Brother, you can't make fire fight fire. The Holy Ghost is Fire Itself. That's right. Said, "Bring them out and we'll burn that religion out of them. We'll make them bow down." I can hear Shadrach and Meshach and Abednego starting up that gangplank there, going to drop off into the furnace. I can hear Shadrach say, "Brother Abednego?"

"Yes, Shadrach."

"You sure you prayed through?"

"Yes. I'm sure it's all right. Yeah, got the victory." All right.

Said, "Hey, you want to take it back?"

He said, "Our God is able to deliver us from this fiery furnace. But nevertheless, if He don't do it, we'll not bow down to your image." Amen. Hallelujah. "I'll not bow to your image." They walked a few feet farther. My, looked like God was unconcerned about it.

And I can see the men with the spears, the intense heat was just about to get them, they was about to suffocate. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, kind of fainty-like, walking on up, hands tied behind them, going right into the fiery furnace, taking the last step of the way--

I can see them now, where they're just about-- Let's dramatize this a little. I can see them where they're just about one step from going into the fiery furnace.

The only person gets in a hurry is you and I. God takes His time. As long as He's promised it, that's good enough.

All right. I can see them right up there almost ready to step in the fiery furnace. And look, it looks pretty bad for believers there. There the old king set and said, "Well, we'll stop them holy-rollers around here now. We got it all under--the situation controlled now. As soon as they hit that fiery furnace, the rest of these guys will see that, they'll know that I'm boss around here."

But brother, there's another Boss sets up yonder in heaven Who knows all things. Let's turn our face towards Him now and see what He's doing. You know all the time, there's anything going on down here, there's something going on up there too. Did you know that? Let's look.

I can see Him setting on His throne, my, His great robes hanging around Him. I look, coming up to His right, here comes an Angel. You believe there's Angels in heaven? There's a great fellow come there with his sword drawed; his name is Gabriel.

He stood up before the Master, bowed his head, and said, "Master, I've tried to obey You ever since You created me. But have You looked down in Babylon this morning? We got three believers down there that absolutely are true genuine believers. And they're fixing to burn them up. Let me go down there. I'll change that scene." I believe He could've done it. Yes, sir.

I can hear the Master say, "Gabriel, you're true. You've been a real Angel. You've done everything I've told you to do since I created you. But put that sword back in the sheath. I can't let you go." And Gabriel sheathed his sword, stood attention at His side.

Here comes another Angel. What's his name? Is that Wormwood? He'd got a control over all the waters. He falls down before the Master. He says, "Master, have You looked down in Babylon? They're fixing to burn up three believers down there this morning, that's holding true to God's Word. Look at them. Why, I tell You, if You'll just let me go like You did when I--give me power to destroy the antediluvian world. I broke up all the springs of the deep and I sent a flood to destroy the whole world."

Woodworm in heaven, you know, has control of the waters. He said, "I'll go down there this morning and I'll wash Babylon off the face of the earth." I believe he could've done it. Amen. I sure do.

I can hear Him say, "Woodworm, you're a good Angel. You've obeyed Me ever since I created you. But I can't let you go."

But he said, "Lord, have You considered?"

"Yes. I've been watching them all night long." Amen. His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me. Amen. Yes.

"I've watched them all night long. I heard them in the prayer meeting last night. I heard them when they prayed through and they struck heaven here, with their prayers. I'm watching them. I know when they got one more step to go. I been watching them all night long. I can't let you go because it's a man-size job. I'm going Myself." Amen. Hallelujah.

I can see Him rise from His throne; His priestly garments drop around Him, walk out here to the edge of His big throne, walks out here and over in there stands a big white thunderhead. I can hear Him say, "Come here east wind, west wind, north, and south." Amen. Everything obeys Him. Said, "Get under that thunderhead yonder and ride up side of My throne here."

I can see those winds get under that thunderhead. Big cloud of-- Come warring of a-- before the throne. He steps off on there, reaches up and gets a hold of a zig-zag lightning and cracks her. Them winds are like horses.

Brother, He was on His road down when they made their last step. When He passed by the Sea of Life, He pulled off a palm down there, about the time they took their last step into the fiery furnace, there was a fourth Man in there, One like the Son of God, fanning away the old...like that.

Why? Because somebody took God at His Word and stood for what was right. Hallelujah. Right down to the end of the road, God will be faithful. You quit your doubting; give over, and give up, and let God.

He said, "I'll not give you the land in one year. For if I give the whole thing to you in a year, the wild beasts will come in and consume you. But little by little, as you're able, I will give you the land." Amen.

-- Brother Branham
August 31, 1953